ARCTIC SPACE WEATHER BALLOONS: Today, Spaceweather.com and the students of Earth to Sky Calculus are flying to Sweden to launch a series of space weather balloons above the Arctic Circle. We'll be measuring cosmic radiation, photographing Northern Lights from the stratosphere, and sampling polar stratospheric clouds. The first launch could occur as early as March 10th. Stay tuned!
SPOTLESS SUN SPARKS BRIGHT AURORAS: The sun has been completely blank for 48 hours--no sunspots at all. Who needs them? Throughout that interval, geomagnetic disturbances and bright auroras have pulsed around the Arctic Circle. Last night in Abisko, Sweden, tour guide Sarah Skinner barely had time to set up her cameras before the sky erupted:
Arriving at the site, I mobilized the guests and cameras as fast as possible--the auroras were already in full swing," says Skinner. "The display gained in intensity as the evening progressed with superb greens and visible pinks."
Sunspots are a well-known metric of space weather. When sunspot counts are high, magnetic disturbances and polar auroras are common. Turns out the same is true when sunspot counts are low. Last night's display was caused by solar wind flowing from a hole in the sun's atmosphere--no sunspots required.
The sunspot cycle is crashing toward a new solar minimum expected in 2019-2020. Last night's display confirms that space weather does not stop when sunspots vanish. Indeed, in many ways, it just gets more interesting.
THE TRANSFORMATION OF VENUS: On March 25th, Venus will pass almost directly between Earth and the sun--an event astronomers call "inferior solar conjunction." As Venus approaches the sun, the planet is turning its night side toward Earth, reducing its luminous glow to a thin sliver. Astrophotographer Raffaello Lena of Rome, Italy, has been monitoring the transformation:
"The progression of the crescent as Venus approaches inferior conjunction is clear," says Lena. "I took these pictures using an 18 cm (7 inch) Mak Cassegrain telescope."
You don't need such a large telescope, however, to see the shape of Venus. Even ordinary binoculars will show the crescent. Amateur astronomers are encouraged to monitor Venus in the lead-up to inferior conjunction. In the nights ahead, the crescent of Venus will become increasingly thin and circular. The horns of the crescent might actually touch when the Venus-sun angle is least on March 25th.
Look for Venus shining brightly in the western sky at sunset--you can't miss it!
NORTHERN LIGHTS SPACE PENDANT: To raise money for their trip to the Arctic Circle, on March 2nd the students of Earth to Sky Calculus flew a payload-full of Northern Lights pendants to the edge of space above California. You can have one for $69.95. Each piece of jewelry comes with a greeting card telling the story of the pendant's trip to the stratosphere and certifying its peak altitude: 112,200 feet above Earth's surface.
Bonus: Would you like your pendant to fly above the Arctic Circle as well? Make a note in the COMMENTS box at checkout and we will take your pendant to Sweden for a second trip to the stratosphere.
More far-out gifts may be found in the Earth to Sky Store. All proceeds support STEM education and high-altitude ballooning.
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